Scott A. Ernest is president and chief executive officer of Textron Aviation, the leading general aviation authority and home to the iconic Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker brands. He joined Textron in May 2011 and is also a member of Textron's Executive Leadership Team.

Before leading Textron Aviation, Ernest had a 29-year career at General Electric (GE) Aviation, a leading provider of jet engines, components and integrated systems for commercial and military aircraft. He most recently served as vice president and general manager, global supply chain. Prior to that, he was vice president and general manager, global services operations.

Earlier in his career at GE Aviation, Ernest provided leadership in several general manager roles, including management of its sourcing organization, responsibility for its North American operations and oversight of its large aviation services businesses located in Singapore and Kansas.

Ernest earned a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Akron and a master of science degree in engineering from the University of Cincinnati.

The luncheon will be held at the Wichita Boathouse, 515 S. Wichita St., from 11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m. The cost is $20. Reservations are required by Friday, Sept. 5 . Reservations and payment can be made online at www.wiba.org, by calling the WIBA office at 316-201-3264 or by emailing membership@wiba.org.

We are constantly looking for ways to assist you and increase the value of your WIBA membership. The latest is a program that our president first brought to Wichita twenty years ago.

To help our members find quality applicants, Wichita Independent Business Association and NationJob, the Internet's top community-based job site, offer the nation's leading online recruiting service.

NationJob has long been popular with companies throughout the country for four primary reasons. First, it's easy to use. Enter your jobs into the easy self-entry system that allows you to control your own listings 24/7. Second, NationJob posts job listings on a national network of services - plus a local Web site for our community - to promote your job listings throughout the Internet. Third, qualified job seekers respond directly to you. Lastly, WIBA members receive the service at a discounted rate thanks to the Wichita Independent Business Association'scommitment to local economic prosperity.Such outstanding benefits have helped establish NationJob as the leader in Internet recruiting.

To learn more about NationJob's service, contact WIBA at 316-201-3264 or contactNationJob directly at 888-256-1741.

This program does not replace the services provided by our member search firms: Clears Inc.; The Arnold Group; Insights Career Consulting; Hinman & Associates; Workforce Alliance; WSU Career Services; or Right Recruiting. It is, in fact, used by one of our employment service firms.

NationJob is highly cost-effective which is what independent businesses need.

Navigating the tax code can be a complex task for small businesses, and professional guidance may be in order, writes Bonnie Lee, owner of Taxpertise. However, it's important to educate yourself, and the Internal Revenue Service offers help at its Small-Business & Self-Employed Tax Center,

Here are some helpful links that a business owner or nonprofit organization can use to learn about how to confidentially file a complaint or comment regarding Federal enforcement/compliance actions that they consider excessive or unfair. SBA's Office of Ombudsman and our Regional Regulatory Fairness Board are two free resources for those seeking help.

WIBA members will receive $25 off of their next year's dues for referring a new member!

WIBA Educational Seminars

Social Media and Your Online Presence

Sept. 10, 17 and 24

Sept 10: An overview of Social Media Options I - Their Purpose.

There are over 400 different social media platforms for today's business owners to choose from. This class will show you the best options to fit your business & your personality , as well as ways to use more than one platform together.

Sept 17: Search Engine Optimization is for More than Websites.

Learn how to apply SEO tactics to your online presence. Get the most out of your social media marketing plan. Do a competitive analysis to find your keywords and use them!

Sept 24: Getting your Online Presence Organized.

Get all your platforms organized into tasks you can handle. Several tips & tricks to make online marketing easier.

The seminars will be held in three parts on successive Wednesdays. Each session will be held at the WIBA offices, 200 E. 1st St., Ste. 101, from Noon. - 1 p.m.

Cost is $10 per session for WIBA members and $20 for non-members.

Bring your own lunch.

Reservations can be made for one or all and ARE REQUIRED by the Monday prior to the seminar session you are attending.

You can make your reservations by calling the WIBA office at 316-201-3264 or online at www.wiba.org.

Seminar presented by:

New BETA Product Trial

Available for WIBA Members

WIBA member, Insights Career Consulting, is launching a new product designed to help create opportunities for partnerships between candidates and employers in our community. One of the long-time focuses of WIBA is to promote business-to-business opportunities between members and to keep business local. KNOXX™ candidate profiles are designed to develop productive partnerships between individuals seeking employment and the local business community so valuable talent will stay local!

"My Links" section where candidates can showcase various aspects of their qualifications. For example - a college transcript, reference letter, certifications, portfolios of their work, etc.

Businesses can access the candidate database, post jobs and even promote their products and services to KNOXX™ users. This allows businesses to expedite their search for talent saving time and money in the process. Candidates get the visibility they need and are essentially interviewed whenever a business clicks on their profile!

A closed beta test of this new platform before it goes live extends through Sept. 5. Insights Career Consulting is inviting WIBA businesses to try KNOXX™ for free provided they agree to complete a survey giving them feedback on the features and functionality within the site.

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